1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to glass washing apparatus, and more particularly to glass washing and chilling apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Restaurants, bars and other food and beverage service establishments use a number of glasses and mugs on a continual basis. These glasses and mugs must continuously be washed for reuse. Washing is accomplished by hand or by a number of known dish/glass washing apparatus. It is desirable in some instances, particularly for glasses and mugs in which beer will be served, to chill the glass or mugs so as to create a layer of frost on the outside of the glass or mug. It is desirable that such layer of frost does not include frozen droplets of water, but rather is smooth and even. In any case, it is desirable that glasses washed in warm water be chilled at least to room temperature or lower, so as to not warm chilled beverages which will be served therein.
Glasses and mugs used in food service establishments are commonly stored in trays which hold several glasses. Such trays can be used to store the glasses prior to washing, after washing, for storage, and the like. These trays are typically formulated from non-corrosive plastics and metals in a mesh configuration or with a plurality of drain openings to permit liquid to drain from the trays. A significant amount of time can be spent by workers placing the glasses into these trays, or taking the glasses from these trays for washing, rinsing, drying, chilling and storage. It would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for washing and chilling glasses which would reduce the amount of time that workers spend moving glasses into or out of such trays.
Apparatus for chilling glasses commonly use conventional vapor compression refrigeration equipment to supply chilled air to the glasses. This refrigeration equipment requires significant expenditures of energy to power the compressor. It would be desirable to provide a glass washer and chiller which would reduce the energy required by the apparatus to chill the glasses.
The washing and chilling of glasses requires that the washing, rinsing, sanitizing, and chilling fluids thoroughly contact the surface of the glasses, including the interior surface of the glasses. Uneven or incomplete flow results in glasses which are not washed, rinsed or sanitized properly, or glasses which are not chilled or frosted evenly across the surface of the glass. It would therefore be desirable to provide a glass washing and chilling apparatus which would provide for more even flow of washing and chilling fluids around the surfaces of the glasses than is available with current apparatus.